Big tip: If you are a brand new mama, take the opportunity to go on road trips. Car rides are likely to get more and more excruciating the older the baby gets. When mini M hit 5 months old, boy the screams just got louder and longer whenever we were in the car. There were no obvious rhyme or reason for them (at least not in my eyes) and it got to the point where I hated yes, hated going out with him. I did however continue to subject myself to torture anyway because I just needed to be out and about. Each trip was extremely stressful and frustrating and I could not tell you the number of times that I actually raised my voice at him (once again, stupidity happens). However after he turned 6 months old, things were suddenly better again. There were still the occasional moans but a little peekaboo while loading the pram into the boot seemed to be that ‘just enough’ remedy for the time being. Ah a mama has got to have a few tricks up her sleeves.
So, in December last year when mini M was about 2 months old, we decided to take my in-laws and mini M on a car trip to the Southern Highlands, where Mr M and I got married (see this and this for a bit of wedding memories!) We figured that doing a day-trip would be the best option as we didn’t need to care about cots and things (basically all the extra stuff that never crossed our mind prior to the baby). I was a bit nervous about the drive as we were at the peak of summer and I just didn’t know what to expect. I know Southern Highlands wasn’t too far from where we lived but almost everything felt ‘difficult’ with a brand new baby in tow. In the end, we really had nothing to worry about because mini M slept like a baby, literally ha, making the day really enjoyable.
We were driving along nicely and that’s when I spotted an antique store that seemed worthwhile for us to make a U-turn for. Lydie du Bray was such a French eye candy! So glad we made the effort to stop by. It’s not a secret that French people have great aesthetics. If you’re a fashion/beauty enthusiast, I’m sure you’ve heard or read about people waxing lyrical about the French fashion sense and their naturally ‘effortless’ beauty looks. A quick search on Youtube would give you an idea on how many Francophiles there are in the world, and they have no hesitation in turning you into one too. I’m very much drawn to the Parisian vibe, thanks to gorgeous and influential ladies like Violette and Jeanne Damas but I can’t say the same about French interiors as I’m not exactly a maximalist by nature. Having said that, Lydie du Bray was such a delightful place to be in. Everything in there was so charming I couldn’t help but to wish that we could pick up a few things. Prices however were rather prohibitive and I wasn’t sure whether Mr M would appreciate a sudden deviation from the simple lines that we were trying to keep at home. Ah well. If I couldn’t have things my way, I could at least take advantage of the beautiful backdrop…
I’m going to compile a list of things I consider as baby essentials in one of the upcoming posts. If you’re preparing for an impending arrival, stay tuned!
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